The Shining Light
by Warriors27
Summary: Follow an abandoned kittypet with a bad past into the heart of Shadowclan. Would she survive in the wild or will she give up and try and find an owner to take care of her? Will she end up being a rogue or loner? Read on to find out!
1. Prologue

The cage rattled and jolted as the car moved over the road. The cat inside let out a growl as it hit the sides yet again. The cat had blue eyes that shone against her dark brown to black face. A white spot was clearly visible above her muzzle and between her eyes. Her black ears swiveled as it heard the sound of birds through the open window. The black ears soon gave way to a white fluffy neck. The white stretched down the chest and then to the belly.

Then she moved her white front paws underneath her, trying to hide her brown legs. Her white hind legs ended at her brown flanks. The cream-brown fur covered her whole back and legs. Then it ended at her gray-blue-brown tail that curled around her.

The she-cat was wearing a purple bejeweled collar with a bell. The bell rang out each time the cage jolted. Soon the cat felt the telltale sign of the car slowing. The locks unlocked with a sharp indescribable noise. Then the car door opened, and a pale reached in and picked up the cage.

As the black mesh door showed the cat's surroundings as the cage swung out of the blue car, the cat got to her paws. Where was she What was going on? For the past two months she'd been starved after finally growing out of her kitten fluff. Even now, her usually gorgeous semi-long pelt hung off her dull and lifeless. It was matted, effortlessly trapping the now tight collar on her neck.

The cat felt another jolt as the cage landed roughly on a small wooden picnic table. The air smelled of pine trees as her owner drove the car around so the trailer that held a boat, faced a huge blue lake. As the cat watched, she enjoyed the calming scents of the pine trees.

It was welcoming compared to the sharp scent her owner sometimes carried around. Once the boat was in the water and tethered to a bridge, her owner headed over to the cat.

The cat let out a forced purr as the door to her cage was opened and a hand reached in to pull her out. Being lifted into the air in the rough hands of her owner, the cat felt sharp points as her collar was cut off. It fell to the ground with a thump and a jingle as the bell broke off from it and rolled away. Then the cat was placed on the ground and poked with a stick.

The she-cat didn't need to be told twice. She anted to get away as fast as possible from this monster. She hared into the pine forest, dodging trees and bushes until she couldn't dodge them anymore. As she tripped on a tree root, she heard the bushes rustling. Too tired and week to stand back up, the kittypet looked up.

A frosty white she-cat stood in front of her, faded black spots dappling her pelt. The she-cat's blue eyes were unreadable as she leaned down to sniff the year-old kittypet. The former house-cat could see scars all over the she-cat's fur and she shrank away, unwilling to be near this wild cat.

"It's arlgiht, I can see that you are tired and weak." The she-cat murmured, licking gently at one of the mats. "I'll take you back to my clan. What you need is food, rest and a good wash."

The tired kittypet rose wearily to her paws as the helpful she-cat offered her shoulder. The ragdoll accepted the wildcat's help as they slowly made their way through the pine forest.

A dark brown tom with one white paw, clearly not much older than the housecat, greeted them. His green eyes narrowed suspiciously. He asked a question which the house-cat didn't hear as she collapsed to the ground.

The world spun around until black dots danced across her vision. Not sure if it was the she-cat or not, the kittypet gave in to her weariness. She closed her eyes, and everything went dark.


	2. Chapter 1

The she-cat opened her eyes to find herself on top of a mossy nest. She was in a leafy bramble den that smelled strongly of herbs. Morning light filtered through a few gaps in the leaves and through a big hole in the middle. The den was empty, but a damp wad of moss was placed by her nest along with a plump frog. The she-cat sat up, feeling weird. She didn't know where she was and there was an empty feeling around her neck where she had once had a collar.

Then with a gasp, the she-cat remembered the events of the day before. The frightening car ride, the sharp points as it cut her collar away, the soft thud and loud jingle as the collar hit the ground. She shivered as she remembered the sharp stick poking into her flank and driving her away from her owner. Not that she had wanted to stay of course. Then she remembered the white she-cat that helped her. Was she in her den?

Her belly growled, and the she-cat gazed reluctantly at the frog. She didn't want to eat it and besides who would want to eat frogs anyway? Then her belly growled again, and the she-cat bent down to take a bite, finally deciding that a full stomach was better than an empty one. She let out a purr as her belly gurgled with happiness. It was the first meal she had had in a long time. The frog, which the she-cat would normally have avoided and ignored actually tasted quite good. She licked her lips, wanting to get every last morsel. Then she stretched her neck forward and lapped at the moss. The water also tasted good, much better than the stinking tap water that she always received. She felt strength and energy returning to her limbs for the first time in two moons.

"That's right, get some food and water. It will help you feel better." The she-cat looked up in surprise. In front of her stood a dappled gray and white tom with green eyes.

"Who are you?" The she-cat asked, her voice hoarse as if she hadn't spoken in a long time. In fact, she hadn't spoken to any cat in a long time since she left her family for the cruel human that took care of her.

"Dapplepelt," the tom answered. "I'm Shadowclan's medicine cat." _A medicine cat? Is that like a vet?_ The she-cat wondered. She had never been to a vet but before she had left for her new home, her mother had told her about them. _Apparently, they help sick cats. Perhaps a medicine cat was similar?_

"Who are you?" Dapplepelt asked breaking the she-cat out of her thoughts.

"Uh…" The she-cat paused, what did her owner name her? She didn't remember and even if she had one, she preferred not to remember. Perhaps it was best if she forgot that part of her life? Her mind flickered back to her mother. What had she called her? Aurora? Yes, that was it. It meant dawn according to her mother. "I'm Aurora," the she-cat meowed.

"Aurora?" The tom frowned. "That sounds like a kittypet name."

"Is she finally awake?" A she-cat meowed, padding in with a bunch of plants in her jaws. She had a dark ginger pelt with silver stripes crisscrossing it. One of her eyes was silver and the other was green.

"Yes Antpaw, she is." Dapplepelt answered, nodding approvingly at the she-cat.

 _Antpaw? Dapplepelt?_ Aurora repeated silently. _What strange names!_

Antpaw's eyes gleamed and the she-cat padded deeper into the den. Antpaw eventually disappeared into a hold where a bunch of strange scents hit Aurora's nose as she turned her head to look in the direction.

"So…. Aurora," Dapplepelt meowed, sitting down in front of her. "Your pelt is covered in scars which is highly uncommon, I'm assuming, among kittypets."

"My owner beat me and starved me," Aurora answered quietly. "They adored me when I was a kitten but when I grew up, they seemed to hate me."

"I'm sorry about that," the tom meowed calmly. Dapplepelt rose to his paws. "Froststar would like to speak with you, if that's alright with you?"

Aurora nodded, "it's fine. But…um…who is Froststar?"

"Shadowclan's leader," Dapplepelt answered simply. Aurora watched as the medicine cat left the den, wondering what 'Shadowclan' was. Then she began to groom her matted pelt, ignoring the pain as it tugged against her skin. She also killed any parasites that she came across as well.

"Aurora?" The white she-cat that Aurora had seen the day before padded into the den. Aurora looked up, ceasing her grooming though her pelt wasn't even close to being done.

"Yes?" Aurora answered, feeling scruff-looking and dirty compared to the sleek she-cat that now sat in front of her. What made her feel worse was that this cat was also leader.

"I'm Froststar," the she-cat introduced herself. "I'm sure you have had exceptional care in the paws of our medicine cats."

Aurora nodded, now wondering why she had ate the frog. Then she blamed it on her hunger, assuming that it had driven her to it. "Froststar, why did you want to speak with me? I'm just an abandoned house-cat."

Froststar gazed at Aurora curiously. "I can't learn more about the clan's visitor?"

"I guess you can," Aurora mumbled.

"Anyway, would you like to stay with the clan awhile? You look like you'll need fattening up before you embark on your life as a loner." Froststar meowed, her icy gaze not giving away anything.

"Uh…sure," Aurora answered.

"Good, I'll announce your presence to the clan." Froststar rose to her paws. Aurora felt her frosty blue gaze flick over her pelt. "Perhaps you should stay here and get yourself presentable. I've always thought kittypets were fat and sleek, not skinny and matted."

Aurora just glared at Froststar as the she-cat left the den. She didn't like the term 'kittypet'. Aurora also didn't like the assumptions these cats or clan, as Froststar had called them, place on kittypets. Then she began to lick her pelt again, struggling even though she ate the frog not long ago.

"Need help?" Antpaw offered as she emerged from the hole.

"Thanks," Aurora murmured to the young she-cat. Antpaw crouched down beside Aurora and began to lick her matted fur. Between the two of them, they managed to get most of the mats out.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather around for a clan meeting!" Aurora heard Froststar's voice from her nest.

Antpaw leaped to her paws and glanced at Aurora, who was stubbornly licking at another mat. "I'll be back soon. If you need me or Dapplepelt don't hesitate to give a shout."

"Ok," Aurora responded. She continued to lick her fur, knowing that her owner hadn't brushed her in a long time. It had also been a long time since she was able to groom herself. The cleanliness felt good and Aurora's mind wondered to the 'Shadowclan' cats. _Why were they being so nice? Don't wildcats fight all the time?_

Soon the she-cat finished grooming her fur. She rose gingerly to her paws, feeling the need to explore. Aurora trembled as she walked into the clearing. Whether it was because she was weak or scared, Aurora didn't know.

"Is that the newcomer?" A cat asked.

"She looks like she can hardly stay on her paws!" Another said.

Slowly, Aurora realized that she had walked out into a gathering of cats. Scared, Aurora dropped down into a submissive crouch as the cats turned to look at her. _There's so many!_ A yowl for silence made Aurora look upwards. In front of her was a big rock and perched on top it was Froststar. One by one, each cat turned to face their leader.

"This kittypet will be staying with us until she recovers her strength. Then Aurora will leave us to live as a loner," Froststar announced.

A dark brown tom with a white paw snorted. "She looks like she can hardly stay on her paws! Let alone live in the forest as a loner! Let's chase her out so Thunderclan can care for her! What do we want with a worthless kittypet?"

"I'm not saying that she will join us," Froststar meowed. "She can if she wants but I want her to recover her strength first."

A silver tom nodded. "That's right. Everything is uncertain with this kittypet."

"Thanks, Moonstripe." Froststar meowed, dipping her head to the tom. "Until then, treat Aurora as you would a clanmate. Meeting dismissed."

Aurora sat down and watched as the cats broke up into separate directions. Curiosity pulled at her paws at the life of a clan cat, but she quickly squashed it. She wasn't sure that she still wanted to be a house-cat, but she certainly didn't want to be a wild cat! If only there was something between the two!


	3. Chapter 2

Aurora yawned and stretched in her nest. It's been a few sunrises since she found herself in what she now knew was 'Shadowclan'. Once again there was wet moss by her nest and a frog. Aurora wrinkled her nose at the sight of the frog. She still wasn't a fan of eating the amphibian though Shadowclan seemed to enjoy them almost daily. It was like a delicacy among the clan. Ignoring the frog, Aurora lapped some water from the moss.

"Aren't you going to eat the frog?" Antpaw asked, padding over.

Aurora gazed at the frog, her belly clenching at the sight of it. "Uh, is there a mouse?"

Antpaw shook her head. "Nope! You have to eat the frog."

"What if I don't want to?" Aurora tried again.

Antpaw cuffed Aurora's ear, a hiss escaping the she-cat's throat. "Don't act like a kit! If you want to fatten up, you _need_ to eat that frog!"

Aurora flattened her ears and took a bite of the frog. She slowly chewed the frog, slightly more used to it than before. Aurora still resented the fact that she kept on receiving frogs and toads to eat when there were clearly other types of prey on the pile.

"That's a good kit," Antpaw purred.

 _That_ was another thing that Aurora resented. "I'm _not a kit_!" She snapped, rising to her full height. "I'm a…a…"

"A what?" Antpaw meowed, meeting Aurora's blazing blue gaze. "A kittypet? A warrior? A loner? A rogue?" The apprentice's eyes widened in amusement. "A _fox_!" Then the apprentice burst out laughing.

"I-I don't know…" Aurora prodded absently at the rest of the frog. "I was a kittypet but I don't know what I am now."

Antpaw stopped laughing, her eyes suddenly serious and hopeful. "Perhaps…you could join Shadowclan?"

"No way!" Aurora yelped. She didn't want to live with a bunch of wildcats. Though she didn't want to trust twolegs either. Perhaps she could make it as a rogue or a loner.

"Alright," Antpaw shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"Why don't you head out and take a walk around the camp." Dapplepelt suggested, padding into the den. "Maybe the elders will tell you a story."

"Ok," Aurora rapidly agreed. She didn't want to antagonize these cats.

"Do you know where the elders' den is?" Antpaw asked, exchanging a glance with Dapplepelt. "I can show you if you want."

"I think I can figure it out," Aurora muttered. Then she pushed past the so called 'medicine cats' and out into the clearing. She thought she heard Antpaw mutter something but ignored it and stood in the clearing, a look of confusion on her face.

"Alright, Aurora, you can do this." Aurora whispered to herself as she looked around the clearing. "All you have to do is watch what cats come out of which den and go from there." She sat down and looked around, watching the 'Clan' cats at work. She saw young cats hanging about a bramble bush, but they looked older than kits. _Huh, that won't be the elders' den then. I'm sure the elders would look older than that._

She looked around and spotted a den at the base of the rock where Frost, Frosty or something like that talked to the other cats. She didn't see any activity there, so she decided it wasn't worth her time. Her gaze landed on adult cats traveling out of the bramble bush close by and she tilted her head slightly. She could see the dark brown tom with the white paw sitting outside it, grooming himself. Aurora narrowed her eyes slightly. What was his name again? Or what was his name in general? _I never learned his name, did I? Oh well, his loss._ She looked around and spotted a black tom lazing outside another bush, amber eyes gleaming, though one looked clouded.

"Are you looking for someone?" The tom called over, his gaze seeming to pierce her fur even though he only had one working eye.

Aurora padded over, a bit sheepishly. "Y-you c-could s-say that," she meowed. She swallowed her nervousness and tilted her head slightly. "Do you know where the elders' den is?"

The tom chuckled and sat up a bit, pride glinting in his eyes. "It's right here," he meowed. He dipped his head slightly. "I'm Cloudeye by the way."

"Cloudeye?" Aurora echoed a bit confused and dumbfounded. "You aren't white."

The black tom let out a laugh. "I may not have a white pelt, but I have a blind and _clouded_ eye. Don't you think my parents named me after my eye?"

"Oh," Aurora glanced at her paws, flattening her ears slightly. "I'm sorry that I- "

"Don't be," Cloudeye interrupted. "It's the least I can do for our guest. Now, why are you here?"

Aurora gazed at him, her head tilted to one side and her eyes narrowed slightly, a frown on her muzzle. "Do you mean why am I here in the camp or why am I here?"

Cloudeye shrugged. "Whichever you prefer," he responded.

"Well, Antpaw and Dapplespots suggested I should hear a story from you guys," Aurora meowed. She didn't want to talk about her past, especially with all the antagonism regarding housecats. Not only that, she didn't want to recall those days. It was too painful to even think about, let alone talk about it.

Cloudeye hummed thoughtfully. "A story, you say? Well, I have a few in mind though I think it'll be better if I talk about Shadowclan's founding."

"Shadowclan's founding?" Aurora echoed, tilting her head.

Cloudeye chuckled and settled himself in a more comfortable position, motioning for Aurora to do the same. "Many seasons ago, there were a huge group of cats living in a big rocky place called the mountains. They had a leader who also served as one of the healers for the group known as Stonesteller. One day she had a vision…"

* * *

Aurora's eyes widened, and her ears pricked as the story went on. Once Cloudeye had finished, she gazed at him with her jaws open. "They went all that way to fight and separate in the end?"

"They had too if they were to survive," Cloudeye responded. "How they got from the old forest to here is another story entirely and one that I will tell you later."

"Thanks for telling me, Cloudeye." Aurora dipped her head respectfully, her blue eyes dancing with wonder as the story repeated itself over and over in her mind. "I've learned a lot today."

"I'll tell you about the warrior code later," Cloudeye promised. "If you want to join us, then you must know our customs."

Aurora stiffened, and it was all she could to do to keep from snarling. "I'm not joining the clan!"

Cloudeye chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "You will once your injuries heal, and you fatten up. Besides I saw the way you looked at Shadeheart."

"Shadeheart? Who's that?" Aurora tilted her head slightly, her irritation disappearing.

"The dark brown tom with the white paw." Cloudeye responded, whiskers twitching slightly.

"Whatever," Aurora growled, getting to her paws. She trotted away and over to the medicine cat's den. She found her nest and curled up in it, closing her eyes so she wouldn't have to talk anymore or look at anybody. She was done with Shadowclan and she didn't want to join. What would she gain anyway? By the looks of some of the cats, more pain. _Honestly do these 'clan' cats do anything besides fight? It sounds like a worse existence then the one I've had before! Though is a loner or a rogue really my style? I don't know how to defend myself or how to hunt. How can I live alone if I don't know how to survive?_ Aurora let out a sigh, and rolled over onto her back, opening her eyes to gaze at the roof of the den. _It seems like life is against me in general._ Aurora let her thoughts wander to her past and tears formed in her eyes. She rolled back over and buried her head in her paws but before she knew it, she was quietly crying.

 _What did I ever do to deserve all this? I just want an easy life for once!_

* * *

 **Here's the Allegiances, the current one, for Shadowclan since the Hard Path ended.**

Shadowclan

Leader: Froststar: A white she-cat with faint black spots and light blue eyes

Deputy: Moonstripe: A silver-ginger tom with black paws and stripes and a ginger-tipped tail. His ears tapper off into a tuft of black fur. Has pale leaf-green eyes.

Medicine cats: Dapplepelt: A dappled brown and white tom with green eyes-Apprentice: Antpaw: A dark ginger she-cat with silver stripes and one silver eye and one green eye

Warriors:

Swallowtail: A sandy colored tom with brown eyes and black stripes-Apprentice: Goldenpaw

Flameclaw: A ginger and white tom with amber eyes.

Raccoonpelt: A silver tom with a silver and white striped tail and a black mask over his amber eyes

Whispersong: A calico she-cat with green eyes-Apprentice: Eaglepaw

Snakefang: A ginger she-cat with a long winding tail and silver eyes

Flowerclaw: a golden pelted she-cat with leaf-green eyes

Icewing: A white she-cat with a silver sheen and ice blue eyes. She has a faint black circle around her left eye. Apprentice: Spiderpaw

Grayshadow: a gray she-cat with a white chest and green eyes-Apprentice: Cloudpaw

Nightwing: a black she-cat with amber eyes-Apprentice: Flypaw

Shadeheart: a dark brown tom with one white right hind paw and green eyes.

Cheetahpelt: lithe, white tom with ginger spots and a long, winding tail. Has hazel eyes.

Apprentices:

Cloudpaw: a ginger she-cat with a white tail tip with green eyes

Goldenpaw: a golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Eaglepaw: a ginger tabby tom with light ginger stripes, a white paw and light amber eyes

Spiderpaw: a black tom with a silver hourglass on his back and silver eyes.

Flypaw: a ginger she-cat with a white striped tail and green eyes

Queens:

Kits:

Elders:

Watermist: Silver she-cat with black stripes that slowly merge together. Soft white paws and a white tail-tip. Dazzling amber eyes.

Fawnwing: A brown she-cat with a white speckled back. Has pale blue eyes.

Badgerflame: has a badger like coat with a short temper. Has amber eyes, tom

Sunrise: a tom whose pelt looks like the sunrise and has sparkling green eyes

Cloudeye: a black tom with amber eyes though he is blind in one eye

* * *

 **Also, I want to apologize for not updating any of my stories sooner. Junior year is proving to be tougher than I thought and I needed to focus all my energy into my schoolwork. I wish I could say that summer would bring more updates, it might but I have a really busy summer planned so updates will be few and far between as a whole. Thanks for your patience and I'll try to update more frequently but no promises. Like I said, I've been very busy. Also, here's a question of the day: Do you think Aurora should join Shadowclan? Why or why not?**

 **This won't affect the plot of the story, I'm just curious to see what you all think!**

 **Lily out~**


	4. Chapter 3

**Hi there! I would like to thank CloudyDreamCatcher for reviewing and liking this story.**

 **CloudyDreamCatcher: Thanks for the constructive criticism! I'll try to keep that in mind. As for the kitten fluff sentence, that was purposefully done. ;) The repetitive stuff is now fixed and thanks for pointing that out. I have not noticed. I know Aurora's description was a bit long but I based her off a real cat breed.**

 **Now, on to the story!**

* * *

Aurora huddled in her nest, trying to look as small as possible. A few fox-lengths away, she could hear Dapplepelt and Antpaw speaking to Froststar about her condition. She had gained some weight, only a little, but it made the medicine cat deem her healthy enough to survive on her own. Aurora closed her eyes, flattening her ears as she tried to block out their discussion.

Though with one discussion blocked out, it gave her time to remember another one.

 _Aurora was sitting in the clearing, in a patch of sunlight, just enjoying the warm rays on her fur. She must've fallen asleep for the next thing she knew; a paw was prodding her awake. She lifted her head to see Dapplepelt standing in front of her, a serious expression on his face._

" _What?" Aurora asked, sitting up, her pelt ruffled._

" _It's time for you to make a decision," Dapplepelt responded. "You have gained back an acceptable amount of weight so it's time for you to either stay with us or leave."_

" _Hang on!" Aurora yelped, rising to her paws. "You said I could stay until I knew how to take care of myself!"_

 _Dapplepelt let out a chuckle. "Yes, but you need to make your decision first. It would affect how we train you."_

" _What if I don't know where to go or what to do?" Aurora asked, gazing at her paws._

" _We'll have to talk to Froststar about this, but you have to trust yourself." Dapplepelt had responded before padding away._

Aurora let out a sigh and raised her head, ears pricking as the medicine cats and their leader padded over. She sat up, stifling a gulp at Froststar's serious expression. Yet, she was surprised to see a hint of wonder in curiosity in the leader's eyes.

"Aurora, I've learned that you remain undecided in your choice." The white she-cat meowed, sitting down in front of her, tail curled around her paws. She tilted her head slightly. "Do you still wish to learn the ways of the wilderness?"

"Yes," Aurora responded, hardly hesitating. "I don't want to be a hou-er-kittypet anymore. I've had bad experiences with hou-er-twolegs and I don't want to go near them."

"That is understandable," Froststar responded with a nod. "I'm giving you a few more days to decide. After that, I'm going to assume you want to leave and train you that way. Unless of course, you want to join Shadowclan as an apprentice."

Aurora let out a sigh and sat up. She had thought of Cloudeye and how nice he and the other elders were. She didn't want to stay with the clan but if it meant that she'll never see the elders' again… "Thanks Froststar. I would appreciate a few more days to decide, but that doesn't mean you still can't train me…right?"

Froststar smiled, her blue eyes twinkling. "We can teach you how to hunt but that is about all we can teach you for now. I'll assign you a mentor soon. Until then, freshen yourself up and get something to eat. I'll send your mentor over to you once I've made my decision."

"Thank you Froststar," Aurora responded politely.

"Don't mention it," Froststar responded. The white and black spotted she-cat got to her paws. She nodded politely to Aurora before turning and leaving the den, not saying another word.

After a while, Aurora sat up and began to groom her thick fur. Once she was finished, she got to her paws and trotted out of the medicine den. She paused, letting her blue eyes adjust to the much brighter light. She guessed the sun was at its zenith. Not daring to look up, for fear of ruining her eyesight, she looked around the clearing. She spotted Cloudeye basking in the sun with Badgerflame and Sunrise. She trotted over, curious to see two she-cats with them. She had learned a few of their names with the time she spent listening to their stories.

As she approached, she noticed that the two she-cats had patched fur and graying muzzles. She tilted her head slightly, curious. She had never noticed them before or met them and she smiled, flicking her tail in greeting.

Cloudeye was the first to notice her approach and the elderly tom sat up. "Aurora, what brings you here on this fine day?"

Aurora sat down beside the elder with a sigh. "Froststar is assigning me a mentor today. But she wants to know if I'll be joining or not within a few days…."

"And the choice isn't obvious?" Cloudeye stated, his whiskers twitching.

Aurora gazed at her paws. "Well…no."

Sunrise snorted. "Let her be, Cloudeye. You've been wasting your time with her."

"That's not nice," Badgerflame croaked. "You're just feeling your joints again."

"We won't have to feel them if the apprentices changed our bedding every day." A brown she-cat with white speckling her back, complained.

"They're too lazy to do anything else," a silver tabby agreed.

Aurora gazed at them curiously. "What are your names? I'm Aurora."

"I'm Fawnwing," the brown and white she-cat stated. She flicked her tail towards the silver tabby. "And that's Watermist."

"Nice to meet you," Watermist meowed politely.

"Likewise," Aurora responded. "So, can you tell me more about your Clan's customs?"

Watermist nodded and sat up with a smile. "Of course, what do you want to know?"

"Everything," Aurora breathed. She only knew the legends so far and was beginning to learn the Warrior Code, but she still didn't know _how_ the Clan worked.

The elders all exchanged a glance before Cloudeye let out a mrrow of laughter. "The Warrior Code is the majority of our customs, why do you want to know more?"

"It doesn't look like anyone follows it!" Aurora burst out, eyes wide. She flattened her ears slightly and gazed at her paws. "Besides it's all so confusing."

"Well, then. I see its time for another story." Badgerflame sat up and smiled at Aurora. "This tale is not one of ShadowClan but one of ThunderClan."

Aurora pricked her ears. She had never heard any tales about the other Clans yet. In fact, she only thing she knew about the other Clans were their names and nothing else. "What about them?"

Sunrise spoke up this time, a bit gruffly. "They used to have a ginger tom leading their Clan. He was from the old forest and traveled here during the Great Journey."

Aurora flicked an ear in understanding. She had heard the story a few times and how Tawnypelt had saved ShadowClan from the twolegs and their terrible machines. She taught they were talking about tractors but she couldn't be sure since she wasn't there. After all, a twoleg term wouldn't be appreciated in the Clan.

"His name was Firestar," Cloudeye put in. "He is arguably one of the greatest leaders the forest has ever seen apart from Blackstar and Cedarstar of course."

"Though he wasn't born a Clan cat," Fawnwing rasped. "He was born a kittypet in the old forest."

* * *

Aurora listened intently, only asking questions when she wanted clarification. The elders had begun talking about the battle with the twolegplace cats when a small cough interrupted them. All six cats looked up to see Froststar standing in front of them, a patient expression on her face. A ginger and white tom stood just beside her, amber eyes gleaming.

"Aurora, this is Flameclaw. He was an outsider when he first joined," Froststar meowed. "Flameclaw, this is your apprentice, Aurora. You will teach her only how to hunt until she has made a firm decision."

Flameclaw dipped his head slightly. "I understand, Froststar."

"Aurora," Froststar turned her blue gaze to her.

"I understand," Aurora meowed. "And I'm thinking about it."

"She already knows what she wants but hasn't realized it yet," Cloudeye put in. "I lost track of how many stories we've told her."

Froststar's whiskers twitched. "Well, then it shouldn't be a problem. I'll leave you be." The leader gave each of them a nod before turning and padding away.

"Can I stay and listen to the story? They're almost done." Aurora asked immediately before Flameclaw could speak.

"Of course," Flameclaw meowed. "We can train later." Before Aurora could respond, the ginger and white tom padded away.

Aurora sat down and gazed at Cloudeye eagerly, curling her tail around her paws. "Continue."

Cloudeye nodded. "Where were we?"

"You were talking about twolegplace cats with cats with dog teeth in their collars," Aurora meowed.

"Ah, yes," Cloudeye meowed. "It was a dark day for the forest when the Clans all gathered at Fourtrees in daylight…"

* * *

 **So, what do you guys think? Should Aurora stay in Shadowclan?**


	5. Chapter 4: Decision time

**Whitespirit: Thanks! And I'll take the name into consideration. Speaking of names, I like yours!**

 **Now to the story!**

* * *

"You look like a frog that forgot how to land!" Flameclaw meowed, letting out a _mrrow_ of laughter.

Aurora flattened her ears, wanting to block it out and sat up. She hung her head slightly, feeling embarrassed. Flameclaw had asked her to show him a hunting crouch and she just dropped into a crouch. Never once did she think about what it was supposed to look like or what its purpose was.

After a while, Aurora had enough. "Can you stop laughing?" she snapped. "If I was doing it wrong then show me the correct way!"

Flameclaw's jaws snapped shut and his amber eyes widened in surprise. The tom then nodded and padded over. "Of course, and I'm sorry for laughing at you, but you should've seen yourself! You really did look like a splayed-out frog. Now show me the crouch again."

Aurora looked at him tentatively. "Promise you won't laugh?"

"Promise," Flameclaw meowed.

Aurora dropped into the crouch and glanced at him, expecting him to laugh again. This time the tom's whiskers were twitching but he wasn't laughing as he circled around her.

"Square off your paws, so you distribute weight equally on all four of them."

Aurora shifted her weight, so she was crouching squarely on all four paws.

"Keep your tail level with the ground. Not too high or it be a signal to the prey but not to low or it'll alert the prey. Either way, it's bad."

Aurora leveled off her tail with the ground and the crouch began to feel less uncomfortable, but it still didn't feel quite right.

"Keep your paws under you and don't crane your neck." Flameclaw ordered as he sat down in front of her. "Other than that, you're ready to practice stalking."

"What's that?" Aurora asked, sitting up and tilting her head slightly.

"I'll show you," Flameclaw responded. He dropped into a crouch and began to move silently forward, each paw step carefully placed. He reached the edge of the clearing, without making a sound, and sat up. "Now you try."

Aurora dropped into a crouch again and began to move forward. Her pawsteps were loud, and she had trouble avoiding the leaves and sticks in the area. Eventually she sat up with an exasperated sigh. "I'm not quiet, like you are."

"Just keep practicing," Flameclaw advised. "You'll get it eventually. Try again."

Aurora shook her head. "I don't want to," she meowed. "Can we head back to camp?"

Flameclaw rolled his eyes. "No and don't use that 'paws are hurting' excuse again."

The day before Flameclaw had taken Aurora out on a tour of the territory. It had taken the whole day and by the time, Aurora had gotten back to camp, she was exhausted and barely made it to her nest in the medicine den before collapsing. Before she was able to actually go to sleep, she became aware of an aching pain in her paws and complained to Antpaw about it. Antpaw had told her it was normal and will disappear with time.

Well it was still present, and it was driving Aurora nuts. "Why not?" Aurora asked.

"Because every Clan cat has to deal with the pain," Flameclaw responded immediately. "It's part of training for every cat in the forest."

Aurora gazed at her paws. "Can we at least go back to camp, then?"

Flameclaw shook his head. "I'd promise I teach you how to hunt and nothing more. I recommend you practice your stalking, _now_."

" _Fine_ ," Aurora meowed. She dropped into a crouch and began to move forward, keeping her pawsteps light and tail still.

* * *

Once Aurora had gotten pretty average at her stalking, Flameclaw padded over. "I think that's enough for today. Besides you have a decision to make."

Aurora stiffened, her tail going straight and her fur bristling. The decision! She leapt to her paws and took off towards the camp, her tail and fur blowing out behind her as ran. As the camp neared, she slowed down and trotted through the entrance, not caring if her long fur got caught on the thorns.

To her dismay, Dapplepelt, Antpaw and Froststar were waiting for her. Moonstripe was there as well and Aurora skidded to a halt.

"Aurora," Froststar meowed cordially. "Have you made your decision?"

"I…uh…umm…" Aurora stammered, unable to speak.

"Well?" Dapplepelt meowed impatiently. "We're waiting."

"Uh...I…um…" Aurora meowed, gazing at her paws.

Antpaw padded over and placed her muzzle close to Aurora's ear. "It's a simple decision, Aurora. Stay with us or leave and travel the world."

"Antpaw!" Dapplepelt growled. "Get back here! Don't influence the kittypet's decision."

Moonstripe let out a snort. "I wouldn't mind if Antpaw had told her to buzz off."

"Moonstripe!" Frostheart scolded, turning to glare at her deputy. "That isn't very nice."

"Well, it's true!" Moonstripe retorted, flicking his tail. "This Clan doesn't need new cats, Froststar."

"Hang on!" Aurora meowed, finding her voice at last. "Can you be quiet, so I can think?"

Everyone gazed at her in surprise but thankfully they didn't say a word. Aurora sat down and closed her eyes, tilting her face towards the sun. _This is it. Should I stay or go? I like training with Flameclaw and listening to the elders' stories. I love listening to Dapplepelt and Antpaw work. Can I really give all that up to travel? The last time I traveled, I was abandoned. Do I want to go through that pain and torture again? I don't want to even see more twolegs!_

Letting out a sigh, Aurora opened her eyes and dipped her head. "I'll join," she whispered.

"What was that?" Moonstripe leaned forward slightly.

"I said I'll join," Aurora repeated, a bit louder.

Antpaw let out a squeal and leaped to her paws. "Awesome! Welcome to ShadowClan!" The young cat bounded over and touched her muzzle to Aurora's shoulder excitedly. "You can become a medicine cat with me!"

"Antpaw!" Dapplepelt meowed sternly. "Two will be enough for the Clan. Besides I think our new friend wants to be a warrior." Despite his stern words, the medicine cat's face was amused.

Froststar nodded and headed for the Clanrock. The black-spotted, white she-cat leapt gracefully on top and let out a yowl. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather round for a Clan meeting!"

* * *

 **Any guesses on what her apprentice name will be?**


	6. Chapter 5: Clan meeting

Aurora sat down at the base of the Clanrock and watched as the Clan emerged from every den possible. She flicked her tail happily when she spotted Flameclaw. She liked the ginger tom and hoped that he will stay her mentor when she became a full Clan cat. Flameclaw didn't seem to notice her since he was speaking quietly with Shadeheart but a twitch of his ear in Aurora's general direction, made Aurora remember that she was in a Clan meeting. She was being accepted and she needed to act accordingly. She looked up at Froststar, a grin on her muzzle as she gazed at the black spotted, white she-cat with frosty blue eyes.

Once the Clan had gathered, Froststar flicked her tail for silence. "ShadowClan! Today we are here to welcome a new member to our Clan. Former kittypet, Aurora, will become our Clanmate and we must treat her accordingly."

"Why should we?" Shadeheart growled out, flicking his tail and flattening his ears. "She won't be able to survive, and we'll have to treat her like a young elder!"

Froststar let out a growl. "Shadeheart! That's enough! As my son, I expect you to be an example to the Clan like your siblings are. Now sit down and if you interrupt again, I'll see to it that you are put on apprentice duties for a moon."

Shadeheart grumbled something and sat down, his tail still flicking.

Froststar narrowed her eyes slightly before continuing. "Until she earns her warrior name, Aurora shall be known as Dawnpaw. Flameclaw, you will continue to mentor her as you know what it's like to be an outcast yourself."

Flameclaw got to his paws and strode over. He looked up at Froststar. "I'll do my best," he promised before he touched noses with the newly named Dawnpaw.

Dawnpaw blinked in surprise, unfamiliar with Clan customs but figured it was a normal part of the ceremony. She stood up and dipped her head slightly to Flameclaw before looking up at Froststar as she dismissed the meeting. She smiled, pleased with her name and pleased to have finally decided where she was going to stay. She looked at Flameclaw and tilted her head slightly. "What are we going to do? Hunt? Battle train? What?"

Flameclaw let out a small chuckle and pointed with his nose to the apprentices' den. "No, we're going to get you situated in the apprentices' den and then you get the day off. I want you to get acquainted with your denmates and get some rest. We'll do some extensive battle training tomorrow though."

Dawnpaw dipped her head in acknowledgement. She figured that she could live with that decision. She padded over to the medicine den, intending to use the moss from her nest there for the nest in the apprentices' den.

Yet, before she had gone many paw-steps, she was blocked by ginger fur. She took a few steps back and glared at her mentor. "What?"

"We'll be gathering fresh moss," Flameclaw meowed patiently. He flicked his tail and headed for the camp entrance. "I'm sure that you will want a fresh nest to sleep in tonight."

Dawnpaw followed after him, not questioning his decision. Yet she felt like it was the right choice and picked up her pace.

It didn't take long for them to gather a decent amount of moss and Dawnpaw headed for the apprentices' den, soon making her nest. She looked around, a bit sad to see that the den was empty, but she didn't mind. It gave her sometime to reflect and think before they came rushing in. As far as Antpaw had told her when she was recuperating in the medicine den, the only warrior apprentices were: Flypaw, Goldenpaw, Eaglepaw, Spiderpaw and Cloudpaw. She knew Cloudpaw and Goldenpaw were siblings and were the offspring of Flowerclaw and her mentor. Eaglepaw, Flypaw and Spiderpaw were Antpaw's siblings and their father was Moonstripe with their mother being Froststar's sister, Snakefang.

Dawnpaw let out a sigh as she sat down in her nest. Antpaw had only told her the basic facts and nothing about their personalities which led her think. Based on their names, she assumed that they might be energetic and a bit out there. Dawnpaw closed her eyes as she let her thoughts run through her mind. With all the apprentices out training, she knew she would have to wait and see if her assumptions are correct, but she couldn't help but wonder. However, she soon drifted off to sleep as her thoughts begin to slow to a halt.

* * *

Shadowclan

Leader: Froststar: A white she-cat with faint black spots and light blue eyes

Deputy: Moonstripe: A silver-ginger tom with black paws and stripes and a ginger-tipped tail. His ears tapper off into a tuft of black fur. Has pale leaf-green eyes.

Medicine cats: Dapplepelt: A dappled brown and white tom with green eyes-Apprentice: Antpaw: A dark ginger she-cat with silver stripes and one silver eye and one green eye

Warriors:

Swallowtail: A sandy colored tom with brown eyes and black stripes-Apprentice: Goldenpaw

Flameclaw: A ginger and white tom with amber eyes. Apprentice: Dawnpaw

Raccoonpelt: A silver tom with a silver and white striped tail and a black mask over his amber eyes

Whispersong: A calico she-cat with green eyes-Apprentice: Eaglepaw

Snakefang: A ginger she-cat with a long winding tail and silver eyes

Flowerclaw: a golden pelted she-cat with leaf-green eyes

Icewing: A white she-cat with a silver sheen and ice blue eyes. She has a faint black circle around her left eye. Apprentice: Spiderpaw

Grayshadow: a gray she-cat with a white chest and green eyes-Apprentice: Cloudpaw

Nightwing: a black she-cat with amber eyes-Apprentice: Flypaw

Shadeheart: a dark brown tom with one white right hind paw and green eyes.

Cheetahpelt: lithe, white tom with ginger spots and a long, winding tail. Has hazel eyes.

Apprentices:

Cloudpaw: a ginger she-cat with a white tail tip with green eyes

Goldenpaw: a golden tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Eaglepaw: a ginger tabby tom with light ginger stripes, a white paw and light amber eyes

Spiderpaw: a black tom with a silver hourglass on his back and silver eyes.

Flypaw: a ginger she-cat with a white striped tail and green eyes

Dawnpaw: a lynx-point ragdoll cat with ice-blue eyes and white paws as well as a creamy white and light brown pelt. She has a tiny white spot situated between her eyes and a white chin.

Queens:

Kits:

Elders:

Watermist: Silver she-cat with black stripes that slowly merge together. Soft white paws and a white tail-tip. Dazzling amber eyes.

Fawnwing: A brown she-cat with a white speckled back. Has pale blue eyes.

Badgerflame: has a badger like coat with a short temper. Has amber eyes, tom

Sunrise: a tom whose pelt looks like the sunrise and has sparkling green eyes

Cloudeye: a black tom with amber eyes though he is blind in one eye


	7. Chapter 6: Nightmare

Dawnpaw tossed and turned in her nest, letting out a few small whimpers. She jerked awake as a thorn prodded her side and glanced up to see the ginger tabby pelt of Eaglepaw as the tom stood over her with a paw raised to prod her again. His amber eyes were narrowed in annoyance and he curled his lip slightly. "Stop whimpering, kittypet" he hissed. "You're keeping the rest of us awake!"

Dawnpaw flattened her ears slightly and curled her tail around her paws. She lowered her head on her paws and looked away. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I won't do it again."

Eaglepaw let out a snort. "You better not or you'll have more than a sheathed paw to worry about."

Dawnpaw let out a small sigh and watched as the younger cat padded back to his nest. Once she was sure that he was asleep, Dawnpaw sat up and gave her long fur a quick grooming. She curled up again, staring at the entrance of the den as she tried to will herself back to sleep. Yet, sleep evaded her.

Dawnpaw got to her paws and looked at the others, double checking that they were asleep before slipping out of the den. She made her way into the moon-washed clearing and sat down, curling her tail around her paws. She turned her blue eyes up towards the sky, gazing up the stars as they shone down. A half-moon shone in the center and the she-cat glanced over at the medicine den, wondering how Antpaw and Dapplepelt were doing at the Moonpool.

 _I wish they were here,_ Dawnpaw thought as she lowered her head and flattened her ears. They would've helped her with the latest nightmare. Dawnpaw let out a small whimper and turned her gaze up to the stars. This latest nightmare was brutal.

 _Dawnpaw was lazing beside a fireplace, a gleaming collar around her neck. She had one paw tucked underneath her as she watched the flames flicker and dance, a low purr rumbling in her throat. The house had been quiet recently and she had managed to avoid getting kicked and hit all day. Her ear flicked backwards when she heard heavy stomping and she quickly leaped to her paws, whirling around._

 _The male twoleg had paused by the couch, gazing at her with narrowed eyes. His boots were muddy and wet and he held a stone in one hand. Dawnpaw gulped and whirled around as soon as smelled the rank and evil stench that her owner carried. She raced away, letting out a surprised yowl as the stone hurtled past her head, just barely missing her. She slid to a halt as she neared a corner and swiftly turned, racing for the nearest bed, her tail bushed out to twice her size and her claws tearing up the carpet and tile in her haste._

 _She spotted a bed and slipped under it, quickly making her way towards the back. She sat there as she listened to the twoleg stomping around just outside the bed. She crouched, trying to make herself smaller as she tried to control her frightened breathing. Then a stick slipped under the bed and began to move rapidly. Too rapidly for Dawnpaw to avoid, especially in the tight space. She let out a hiss of pain and then a yowl as it collided painfully with her shoulder, knocking her to the ground. She laid there and felt a rough hand reach for the scruff and drag her out from under the bed._

 _She gazed at the angry face of her own as she dangled limply from his rough and calloused hands. Her eyes gazed up at the twoleg fearfully as he raised the stick to-_

"Uh…hello there…why aren't you sleeping like the others?"

Dawnpaw froze and turned her gaze hesitantly to look up at the cat who now sat beside her. Her eyes widened in surprise when she spotted the brown pelt of Shadeheart. She glanced her paws and curled her tail upwards to hide an old scar, presumably one from the stick her twoleg had beaten her with. "I…." she hesitated slightly, unsure of how much to reveal. She didn't know Shadeheart at all and didn't know why he wasn't asleep in the warriors' den with the others. _Is he on guard duty?_ Dawnpaw wandered as she glanced back at the medicine cat den, wishing she was talking to Antpaw and Dapplepelt instead. "I'm not sure if I should tell you…" she finally whispered, her ears flattening slightly against her skull.

Shadeheart frowned and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. His green eyes flashed in the darkness, causing a shiver to travel down Dawnpaw's spine as she waited for his response. Her muscles tensed, ready to run if he tried to hurt her. After all, he had been nothing but hostile to her when she first joined the Clan and has been trying to make training extremely difficult when he did join them on those rare occasions that he was ordered to. "Why not?" Shadeheart finally spoke, his tone neutral.

Dawnpaw glanced at her paws and shifted. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as the horror of the nightmare flew back to her, bringing with it the fear and terror that she had felt. She dug her claws into the ground as her breathing began to grow ragged and she was unaware of Shadeheart's tail running down her spine awkwardly as he tried to comfort her. "I-It-He was…" Dawnpaw let out a choked sob and leaned against Shadeheart, unaware of his stiffening posture.

"…What happened exactly?" Shadeheart asked calmly, his mew holding a hint of ice to it.

"My twoleg…" Dawnpaw whispered hoarsely, once she was able to speak again. "He used to beat me senseless and mercilessly as well." She pulled away from Shadeheart and turned her gaze back up the stars, her jaws parted slightly as she continued to speak. "My nightmare tonight stemmed from one of those memories." She twisted her head and licked at the raw scar on her shoulder, shivering slightly at the memory. She crouched and wilted in amongst herself, her gaze turning back towards the sky. "It happened as soon as grew up and I guess I wasn't cute anymore…."

"Dawnpaw…"Shadeheart hesitated and fell silent but Dawnpaw could detect what he meant to say. She turned her gaze on him and saw his green eyes were watering slightly and his posture was hunched down. It took her a while to realize that his shoulders were shaking slightly as his tail curled tightly around his paws. "I'm so sorry," he choked out.

Dawnpaw tilted her head slightly. "Why?" she asked, feeling guilty for unloading all that on the young warrior.

Shadeheart flattened his ears and looked away. Though he didn't look away for long, he turned and met Dawnpaw's gaze, his green eyes swimming with emotion as it reflected the night sky. When he spoke, his mew came out in a small whisper. "I'm sorry for being so rude and mean to you. My mother has never approved of it and I'm sure my father wouldn't either."

Dawnpaw tilted her head slightly, feeling a twinge of curiosity and then immediately feeling guilty about it. "If you don't mind me asking…who is your father? Why are you talking as if he is dead?"

Shadeheart turned away, his pelt bristling slightly. "I'd rather not talk about it," he snarled out. His lip was curled slightly and got to his paws abruptly. "Now go back to sleep. I'm sure Flameclaw has a tough training regimen for you tomorrow." He padded over to the entrance and sat down, facing it stiffly, his tail flicking irritably behind him.

Dawnpaw watched him, her eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to make sense of his reaction. Though she didn't watch him for long as a yawn escaped her. She got to her paws and quietly slipped back into the apprentices' den, curling up in her nest and quickly falling asleep.


	8. Chapter 7: The Past Can Hurt

"Harder! Higher!" Flameclaw's suggestions rang through the frosty air as Dawnpaw darted out of the way of a paw flashing towards her after trying a front paw blow to no avail. She ducked and rolled, barely missing Flypaw's paw as the ginger and white she-cat leapt at her.

"Quicker Flypaw!" Nightwing called out, her mew holding a barbed edge. "Are you going to let a _kittypet_ defeat you?"

Dawnpaw stifled a small snarl as she dodged yet another blow before darting forward and flashing her paw out towards Flypaw's flank. Before the blow landed, Flypaw whipped out of the way and bonked her on the head. Dawnpaw staggered back, shaking her head slightly to dispel the dizziness.

"Quicker Dawnpaw! Don't stand there and wait for the next attack! Move with the blows and keep your eyes open!" Flameclaw advised from the side of the clearing. The ginger tom was sitting beside Nightwing, his tail tip flicking as he watched the spar.

Dawnpaw managed to leap out of the way as Flypaw darted towards her. Dawnpaw whirled around, letting out a small breath and ducking as Flypaw moved with her. She flashed out a paw and managed to trip Flypaw, making the ginger she-cat crash to the ground. Dawnpaw leapt forward but before she could pin her fellow apprentice, Flypaw kicked out with her hind legs and threw her off, green eyes gleaming.

Dawnpaw landed on the ground, letting out a gasp as the breath was knocked out of her. Soon she felt paws on her shoulders as Flypaw pinned her triumphantly to the ground. "I won!" Flypaw crowed, shooting a glance at their mentors.

"Very good," Nightwing responded, dipping her head slightly. "You have fought well, Flypaw."

Flypaw grinned and took a step back, letting Dawnpaw up as she curled her tail over her back. Dawnpaw sat up and stared in the distance, panting. She didn't notice that her fur was dusty were dirty as Flameclaw padded over her.

"Dawnpaw," Flameclaw meowed, his tail flicking. "You did well, but your blows still weren't hard enough to hurt." He shook his head slightly. "You do well in practice but when it comes time to sparring with the other apprentices, you just fall apart. What's going on?"

Dawnpaw winced at the criticism and gazed at her paws. "It…it just feels wrong to injure another cat." She lifted a now brown paw and shook it slightly, dislodging some of the dirt and dust to show the white fur underneath. "When I look at another cat, all I see is some cat with a soul, a home, a _family_. I don't want to rob them of that."

Flameclaw let out a sigh and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. He nodded to Nightwing and Flypaw. "Head back to camp without us," he meowed. "Dawnpaw needs more training time."

"That's understandable," Nightwing meowed, dipping her head in understanding. "Every apprentice learns at their own pace." She glanced at her apprentice and flicked her tail before setting off. "Come on Flypaw, let's see if we can do a little bit of hunting on the way back."

"Yes!" Flypaw meowed happily as she trotted out after her mentor. "I hope I can catch a squirrel this time!"

"What's see if we can find one first," Nightwing responded cryptically.

Flameclaw cleared his throat, causing Dawnpaw to look back at him. "You know the Warrior Code, right?"

Dawnpaw met his gaze and looked away. "Well…yes, the elders told me about it but it still doesn't make that much sense."

Flameclaw twitched his whiskers slightly in amusement. "There's your problem then," he meowed. "The Warrior Code isn't just a set of rules, it's our way of living and believe or not you have been following those rules."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears in surprise. "Really? What do you mean?"

Flameclaw tilted his head in the direction of the camp. "Each time you go on a hunting patrol, you bring prey back to the Clan and don't take any for yourself during the hunting trip. You also make sure the queens and elders are fed before taking prey for yourself. Is that correct?"

"Yes…" Dawnpaw meowed hesitantly, listening politely.

"Those are rules stated in our Code," Flameclaw responded. "The same goes for border patrols and you just haven't figured out that warriors are _required_ to show mercy in battle when their opponent surrenders."

"I'll never surrender!" Dawnpaw burst out with a low growl. She lifted her head and got to shakily to her paws, turning away slightly. "I'll be the best warrior ever!"

"Not the way I see it."

"What!" Dawnpaw looked back at her mentor, ears flattening at the look in Flameclaw's eyes. "Why not?"

"You still can't bring yourself to fight your best," Flameclaw meowed. "You need to forget about the cat's past and life and think of your Clan. Think about how much you have to protect ShadowClan and how scarce prey can be." The ginger tom got to his paws and took a few steps in the direction of the camp. "Instead of training more, we are heading back to camp. I want you to think about what it means to be a Clan cat and how important it is to be able to defend yourself in battle. It leads to how much you value your life." The tom glanced over his shoulder, expression unreadable. "I don't know what your past is, but those scars on your pelt suggest that you are no stranger to fighting. Unless I'm wrong and those scars came from something else, which I find hard to believe." Without another word, Flameclaw padded away, disappearing into the pine forest as he headed back towards the camp.

Dawnpaw watched him go, her tail dropping slightly. She shook her pelt and began to follow her mentor back to camp, keeping her head low. She hardly noticed as she entered the camp and refused to meet the gaze of any cat as she made her way to the apprentice's den. She didn't feel like talking to anyone, but she let out a small hiss of pain as she bumped into something. Sitting back and shaking her head slightly to dispel the pain, she blinked and looked up, eyes widening when she spotted Shadepelt glaring at her.

"Sorry," Dawnpaw meowed, dropping into a submissive crouch. "It won't happen again, I promise!"

"What do you mean?" Shadepelt asked, tilting his head slightly. "It was an accident. Neither of us was watching where we were going." The tom's whiskers twitched slightly. "Now get up out of that stupid position and face me properly."

Dawnpaw remained where she was, afraid to sit up. She flattened her ears, trying to appear smaller, unaware that she was revealing another few scars that she had gained during her time as a kittypet. There was a jagged scar across her forehead that was caused by a glass hitting and exploding against her head. She had to spend a few nights at the cutter's before she could return home. Another one was a nasty scar across her shoulders, that was normally hidden by her neck fur but in the position she was in, it was showed clearly. She couldn't remember how it happened, but she remembered another long period of time at the cutter.

"Where did you get those?" Shadepelt asked, his mew sounded usual. Probably because it was full of sympathy.

Dawnpaw let out a squeak of surprise and darted past him into the apprentices' den, not wanting to speak to him. She found her nest and crouched down, trying to hide as she shivered slightly in fear. She was glad that the den was empty and eventually relaxed, letting herself lay down. She rested her head on her paws and stared at the walls of the den, whimpering slightly. She placed a paw over her muzzle and closed her eyes, trying to push away the memories of her time in the twoleg's care. She hated reliving those memories since it reminded her of how helpless she was against his rage. She still felt helpless whenever she faced an opponent in battle.

Each blow that was landed, reminded her of the blows that her twoleg landed on her. It just brought back painful memories. She wanted to help out and be the best warrior she could be…but these memories kept holding her back, always threatening to overwhelm her.

The truth was that she was scared.

Scared of getting hurt again.

Scared of feeling helpless, like there was no one who could help her.

Scared of being alone.

Scared of-

"Dawnpaw?" A familiar meow broke into Dawnpaw's thoughts. The she-cat opened her eyes and let the paw covering her muzzle fall back onto her nest. She curled up tightly in her nest when she spotted who it was.

"Go away Flameclaw," she meowed quietly. "You too Shadepelt. I just want to be left alone."

"Not after I saw what I saw," Shadepelt meowed. Dawnpaw heard pawsteps as the two warriors padded in deeper into the den. "You're a Clanmate now, whether we like it or not."

"Tell us what is going on," Flameclaw meowed softly. Her mentor touched his muzzle gently to her forehead, directly ontop of her scar. Dawnpaw winced and curled up tighter into a ball, refusing to look at them as she shivered slightly in fear.

"No," Dawnpaw squeaked out.

"I see," Flameclaw meowed quietly. He glanced at Shadepelt and gave him a small nod. "Thank you. You can go now."

"Not until I find out what's wrong as well," Shadepelt retorted with a small growl.

"Very well," Flameclaw meowed. He glanced at his apprentice. "Dawnpaw, can you please tell us how you got those scars?"

"No," Dawnpaw repeated. She curled up tighter and hid her tail across her muzzle, trying to hide.

She felt a muzzle gently nuzzle her. "Come on, the story can't be that bad," Shadepelt meowed. His normally gruff voice was surprisingly gentle and sympathetic. "If you tell me what happened, I can tell you…about my father."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears and lifted her head slightly. "Really?"

Shadepelt nodded, glancing at his paws. "Yes," he promised.

Dawnpaw let out a shaky breath and sat up, eyes staring at the den wall, her fur beginning to bristle. "It was one of the times when the twoleg had this weird scent. I was just lazing in front of the fire when something exploded beside me. I leapt to my paws and raced for the bed, my only hiding place in the whole den. Though he happened to corner me against two of the sides and raised a clear glass above his head. It was full of a strange purple liquid as he hit it against me. I blacked out and the next thing I knew, I had this scar." She placed a paw on her forehead and glanced at the scar across her shoulders. "And I don't know how that scar happened, but I can only imagine it happened at the same time."

Silence greeted her words and Dawnpaw blinked, looking around. Flameclaw's pelt was bristling and his lips were curled back in a snarl. Shadepelt was pacing the den, his tail lashing and ears flattening. His paws left long score marks as his claws dug into the ground. Dawnpaw crouched submissively, wondering why they were so angry.

"Did I say something wrong?" Dawnpaw managed to squeak out.

Flameclaw shook his head and glanced at her, a glint appearing in his eyes. "No," he reassured her, leaping to his paws. "Though, now I know how to train you!" He nodded to Shadepelt, flicking his tail at the tom before leaving the den. Shadepelt followed him close behind, leaving Dawnpaw blinking after them in confusion.

 _What does he mean by that? Is my training going to change? Is that a good or bad thing?_

* * *

Hey! I updated! :D

Anyway, Happy New Years!


	9. Chapter 8: A fear conquered

Dawnpaw sat in the clearing, tail curled around her paws. Her fellow apprentices have already gone out training for the day, each one chattering excitedly about what they were going to do. Cloudpaw and Goldenpaw were taking their final assessments before their warrior ceremony later this evening. Eaglepaw was out hunting with Whispersong, Flypaw and Nightwing. Spiderpaw was battle training with Icewing, who had asked Shadepelt to go with her. Dawnpaw had watched the two, wondering how they talked so easily with each other, before she realized that they had a similar body shape despite not having the same pelt colors. That was usually the mark of siblings.

Dawnpaw looked over at the medicine den, seeing Dapplepelt and Antpaw talking quietly as they laid out herbs in the sun to dry. Her paws itched to go over and join them, if not to help then to at least talk. Yet, Spiderpaw had told her that Flameclaw wanted her to wait for him by the apprentices' den. Dawnpaw flicked her tail irritably as she watched the elders emerging from their den, one by one. Talking to the elders' seemed like a good option as well and certainly much better than waiting for her mentor to show up from who knows where!

Dawnpaw let out a sigh and laid down, resting her head on her paws. She cast her gaze around the clearing, her tail still flicking irritably. Too bad there were no queens or kits in the nursery. She could go over and play with the kits. Dawnpaw rolled over onto her back, exposing her soft belly fur. She gazed up at the partly clouded sky. The sun still hadn't reached its zenith yet but at least she could spend her time cloud watching.

"Dawnpaw, how are you?"

Dawnpaw rolled back onto her belly and blinked. She sat up and met Fawnwing's gaze and dipped her head respectfully. "I'm good, Fawnwing. How are you?"

"Alright, I suppose." The she-cat responded as she glanced over at the elder's den. "Cloudeye seemed to have taken a bit of a chill overnight. Dapplespots and Antpaw don't think it's anything serious, but he's being monitored closely." The tip of her tail twitched before the elder switched her pale blue eyes back to Dawnpaw. "How are you?"

Dawnpaw blinked, hardly registering the question for a few moments. "I'm…fine," she meowed, glancing over at the elders' den. She hadn't known that Cloudeye was so sick. After all, he hadn't emerged from the elders' den and it explained why Dapplespots and Antpaw were drying herbs and sorting herbs and talking quietly to each other. A frown pulled at her muzzle as guilt flashed thorough her, but she met Fawnwing's gaze anyway.

Fawnwing nodded slightly and slowly sat down, curling her tail around her paws. The tip was tinged with gray and her muzzle was lightly flecked with gray fur. "How's training?"

Dawnpaw shrugged slightly, letting her gaze roam around the camp again, looking for a familiar flame-colored pelt. "Alright, I suppose. Flameclaw is supposed to take me out training, but I don't know when. Spiderpaw told me I have to sit here until he comes to fetch me."

Fawnwing tilted her head slightly, letting out a small hum. She stiffly got to her paws and turned towards the warriors' den. She didn't take another step, just simply watched the entrance. It wasn't long before the ferns quivered and Fawnwing let out a quick meow. "Snakefang!"

The ginger she-cat paused, one paw raised and looked over, ears pricked. Fawnwing flicked her tail, beckoning the warrior over, ever so slightly tilting her head towards Dawnpaw. Snakefang seemed to consider before she padded over, glancing at Dawnpaw curiously before looking at Fawnwing. "Is there a problem?" she asked, her tone crisp and business-like.

Fawnwing shook her head. "No," she meowed. "But do you know where Flameclaw is? He's supposed to take Dawnpaw training."

"Was he on a patrol by any chance?" Dawnpaw asked, wondering if he was on his way back.

"No," Snakefang responded. "And Moonstripe put him on the dusk patrol. Why he isn't here now, I haven't the slightest idea."

"Oh," Dawnpaw meowed quietly, looking at her paws. She raised her voice and looked at Snakefang. "Thanks anyway."

"No problem!" Snakefang responded cheerfully as she padded over to the fresh-kill pile, where Moonstripe padded over to meet her. The two touched noses briefly before moving off with a small bird.

Fawnwing turned back to Dawnpaw. "Well, why don't you head out and look for him then? He's obviously not in the camp."

Dawnpaw let out a sigh, figuring there was not much to lose in doing that. "Alright," she meowed. "I'll go and find him."

Fawnwing gave her a small nod before heading over to the elders' den, flicking her tail in greeting as she settled down beside Badgerflame.

Dawnpaw got to her paws and headed over to the entrance, soon slipping through the brambles. She paused outside the camp and looked around, trying to peer into the shadowy depths of the forest, wondering which way Flameclaw would've taken. Figuring that using the well-worn paths of the Clan would be best, Dawnpaw set off towards the lake. It was pretty and she liked watching the water ripple along the shore-line as the sun sparkled off the water.

She didn't have to go very far when her ears pricked at the sound of rushing paw steps. She stopped and stepped to the side as Raccoonpelt burst out of the trees. When he saw her, he slowed down, panting heavily with glazed amber eyes.

"What's wrong?" Dawnpaw asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Nothing," Raccoonpelt responded once he had caught his breath. "I've come to fetch you. Flameclaw wants you to meet him in the clearing by the lake. The one tinged with boulders."

Dawnpaw frowned, nose wrinkling in distaste. She hated that place. It had so many corners and reminded her of her kittypet life. "Why should I?" she challenged.

Raccoonpelt shrugged slightly. "I'm only following a senior's orders," he responded lightly. He padded away, flicking his tail in farewell. "Whether or not you go, doesn't matter to me. Though, I'm sure that your full name does."

Dawnpaw stiffened slightly and felt her pelt beginning to bristle. She curled her lips back slightly to reveal a hint of her sharp teeth. She wondered when she will ever be truly accepted into ShadowClan as she glared at the silver tabby tom. "I will be a great ShadowClan warrior!"

Raccoonpelt just twitched his whiskers. "Ok, pinecone," he meowed with a twinkle in his amber eyes. A lazy and goofy smile appeared on his muzzle. "Let me know when you stop looking like a cloud and see Flameclaw." His tone quickly turned serious and he half turned away. "Besides, a great warrior needs training." Then he padded away, his tail flicking contently behind him as he left Dawnpaw alone.

Dawnpaw blinked and turned away, forcing her bristling fur to flatten as she made her way over to the lake. She knew the clearing that Raccoonpelt had indicated and had accidentally wondered in there a few times only to bolt straight back out. Her tail twitched slightly as she paused and looked around, suddenly feeling alert. She was close to the clearing now, but something didn't seem quite right.

She slowed down and began to approach the clearing more cautiously, pausing to sniff the air and look around at her surroundings. She paused at the entrance to the clearing and sniffed the air, eyes narrowing when she didn't scent her mentor. Dawnpaw entered the clearing and looked around, wondering where Flameclaw could be. It wasn't like him to tell her to meet here and to just disappear. _What's going on?_

Dawnpaw didn't have time to dwell on the thought when a sudden weight landed on her back, squashing her to the ground. She couldn't see the intruder as she struggled to free herself from the blows being landed on her back. She twisted around and slapped a claw across the cat's muzzle, causing her attacker to stumble back in surprise. Dawnpaw leaped forward and pinned the attacker to the ground, not giving him a chance to recover or escape as she bared her teeth at him. "What are you doing on ShadowClan territory?" she demanded as she glared down at the seemingly black cat with amber eyes.

The cat didn't fight back to her surprise. Instead,backwards he wheezed and let out a cough before replying. "You fought well."

Dawnpaw froze and released the cat, taking a step backward, eyes narrowing with distrust. "What do you mean?"

The cat sat up and shook his pelt, shaking off clumps of dirt, mud, and dust from his fur. Underneath the seemingly black fur was a bright ginger tabby coat and the familiar amber gaze of Flameclaw. Dawnpaw looked at her paws and sheathed them, ashamed that she had given her mentor a few cuts. "Sorry," she mumbled out.

"It's ok," Flameclaw reassured her. "It was the reaction I was hoping for."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears in surprise. "Really?"

Flameclaw nodded in confirmation. "Really, besides you just need to get your blood flowing." He smiled slightly and leaped at her without warning.

Dawnpaw widened her eyes in surprise and immediately ducked out of the way, her tail flicking and her ears flattening. Flameclaw whirled around and stalked towards her, looking threating and she backed up, freezing with fear when she felt a boulder at her back. She was trapped and by the look in her mentor's eyes, he planned this.

Flameclaw swiped sheathed paws at her face, battering her muzzle and ears with well-timed strikes. Dawnpaw ducked but Flameclaw soon found a way to batter her shoulders and back just by shifting his position ever so slightly. Flameclaw let out a small growl. "Don't just stand there, frozen. Fight!"

Dawnpaw just gazed at him fearfully, unable to run to escape and unable to fight. Her legs wouldn't move, her brain wouldn't work, and she was just waiting for the inevitable. Her scars twitched with pain as she remembered her kittypet days. Though Flameclaw landed a heavy blow to the side of her head, making her shake her head in surprise, the thoughts quickly dissipating. She glared at Flameclaw, a small snarl appearing on her face. His blows were getting harder and he was shifting his position often so she couldn't hide from his strikes by crouching and looking submissive. She was getting tired of this and her pelt bristled as she straightened up and begin to duck each blow.

Dawnpaw narrowed her eyes, looking for an opening as her mentor continued to rain blows down on her. She reared up on her hind legs and swiped sheathed paws at his ears and as she fell to all fours, she landed a few on his muzzle. Her ears flattened and she began to match his blows, blow for blow. Dawnpaw darted her gaze around, looking for an opening to change the outcome and when Flameclaw ducked to keep his ears from being battered by her paws, she crouched and leaped, sailing over him. Quick as she could, she whirled around and hooked his paws out from underneath him, a satisfied smile crossing her features.

Now Flameclaw was the one trapped between her and the rock. Yet, he didn't look afraid, he looked pleased. Then he leaped forward and bowled her over, quickly pinning her to the ground and panting slightly. A pleased look gleamed in his amber eyes and he flicked his tail in satisfaction. "Finally!" he breathed out as he let Dawnpaw up. "We conquered your fear."

Dawnpaw blinked as she got to her paws and shook out her fur. "What do you mean?" she asked. "I just got tired of you raining blow after blow."

Flameclaw let out a laugh. "Tired enough to get over your fear and actually fight like a warrior."

Dawnpaw's eyes widened as she thought back to the moment and she couldn't help but purr. She had done it! How long it would last, she didn't know, but she did know that she was on her way to finally becoming a warrior.

Then what Flameclaw said next, made her purr even louder. "I think you're ready to face the other three Clans at the Gathering tomorrow night."

She bounced from paw to paw, her tail and whiskers quivering with excitement. "I can't wait!" she managed to say, happy to finally be allowed to go to a Gathering. After all, that was one of the perks of Clan life and she had heard the other cats speak about it often. She had a missed a few when she was first a guest a Clan and then when she was just starting her training. Dawnpaw bounded off in the direction of the camp, her tail held straight off in the air. She didn't mind if she left Flameclaw behind, besides training was over and she knew Flameclaw will follow.

Right now, she couldn't wait to get back to camp and scout out Shadepelt or one of her fellow apprentices. Perhaps Antpaw will have the time for a chat! After all, Dawnpaw was excited and she needed to let it out somehow. For some reason, she knew that her new clanmates will listen and continue to help her learn about the customs of the wild.

Never before have Dawnpaw felt so free, both in body and soul. She now considered herself a true Clan cat and her kittypet days will soon become a distant memory. In her mind, she knew that the adventure was only just beginning and who knows where her life will lead from here?


	10. Chapter 9

**Wren the Rogue:** Perhaps

 **Thank you to everyone who favorited/followed this story and/or me! Enjoy this chapter!**

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Dawnpaw sat in the clearing, grooming her long fur in the noonday sun. She and Flameclaw had just gotten back from a hunting patrol and she was given the rest of the day off to rest. So far Dawnpaw was enjoying it, but it was beginning to get a bit boring. After all, her denmates were still out and about training.

Grooming finished, Dawnpaw got to her paws and looked around, tilting her head slightly. The elders were out and about sunning themselves while the medicine cats were laying herbs down in the sun. In fact, Antpaw looked pretty excited. Dawnpaw allowed a small smile to appear on her muzzle as she watched the she-cat. After all, Antpaw was chosen to go to the gathering since she was a medicine cat apprentice.

Dawnpaw, herself, didn't know if she was to go to the gathering. Though, being a warrior apprentice, she wouldn't be expected to attend every gathering. After all, a warrior needed to keep their loyalties to their Clan only and not to the other Clans. Dawnpaw got to her paws and headed towards the fresh-kill pile, picking up a few lizards and heading over to the elders' den. Her tail swished behind her contently as she allowed a small pep in her step.

Sunrise lifted his head as Dawnpaw approached, a yawn escaping from his jaws. "Hello, Dawnpaw."

Badgerflame rolled over onto his side, squinting slightly as the apprentice approached. "Is that for us?"

"It is!" Dawnpaw responded cheerfully as she dropped the lizards in front of the elders. "I thought you guys wanted a snack."

Fawnwing let out a small laugh and sat up on her haunches. "That's kind of you," she meowed as Watermist shifted beside her. "We wouldn't mind some food."

Dawnpaw grinned and nudged the dead reptiles towards them. "Anything for the best members of the Clan!"

"We are far from the best," Sunrise grunted out. "Believe me, we all still want to be providing a service to our Clan."

Watermist nodded in agreement, her eyes clouding slightly. "There is no greater joy than serving your Clan and dying with honor in battle."

Badgerflame let out a growl and swiped at his fellow denmate playfully. "Being an elder is an honor too!" he argued with a flick of his tail. "We provide wisdom to our young and foolish Clanmates."

"Hey!" Dawnpaw protested. "I'm not foolish!"

Badgerflame fixed her with a look. "Are you sure about that?" He made a show of looking her up and down. "You seem like any other young she-cat to me. Padding after toms, having dreams of kits and mates and practicing hard to prove yourself as a capable warrior the Clan."

"Badgerflame!" Fawnwing chided, shooting him a look. "That's rude!"

"Not really," Badgerflame retorted with a snort.

"What's all the fuss about?" A small, weary voice accompanied a skinny and ragged looking cat as Cloudeye slid out of the elders' den. "I'm trying to sleep."

Dawnpaw bounded over to him and nudged a lizard in his direction. "Eat," she urged, gazing over his pelt. "You look like you need some food."

Cloudeye blinked at her and shook his head. "Food is way past helping, young one," he rasped out. "My time is coming."

Dawnpaw stared at him in horror and shook her head. "No! That can't be true!"

"Dawnpaw," Fawnwing's gentle voice turned Dawnpaw's attention away from the black tom and over to the fawn colored warrior. "Cloudeye hasn't been feeling well the past couple of days." Shooting a stern look in the tom's direction, the she-cat added, "and he should be staying in his nest, conserving his strength."

Cloudeye let out an amused snort. "I can move around as I please," he responded. "Just because I'm old and dying doesn't mean I can't enjoy the nice sunshine every once and a while."

"You should be resting!" Dawnpaw burst out, staring at the tom as if he had grown wings.

Cloudeye shook his head stubbornly and sat down, curling his thin tail around his paws. "I am fine right here and right now. StarClan isn't going to claim me just yet."

Dawnpaw shook her head exasperated by the elder's behavior. She pricked her ears when Cloudeye began coughing and turned towards the medicine cat's den. "I'll get Dapplepelt! He'll do something for your cough, Cloudeye."

"I don't need herbs," Cloudeye protested as Danwpaw raced over to the medicine den.

"Dapplepelt!"

The tom looked up, a paw raised to move some herbs, ears pricked, and head tilted slightly. "Yes, Dawnpaw?"

"It's Cloudeye," Dawnpaw responded, beginning to pace. "He's coughing and looks so skinny and weak! He claims that he'll be joining StarClan soon and-"

"Calm down, Dawnpaw!" Dapplepelt ordered, getting to his paws. "I'll get him some tansy, but only StarClan can help him I'm afraid."

Dawnpaw stared at him with wide eyes. "What do you mean?"

Antpaw padded out from the medicine den and over to the herbs that Dapplepelt was sorting. The apprentice looked up and met Dawnpaw's gaze. "Cloudeye has been complaining of pain in his belly recently and that cough is just a cold."

"A cold that refuses to go away," Dapplepelt growled out as he shuffled through the herbs. "Plus, he's beginning to get a small bump behind one of his legs on his belly."

"We don't know how to treat it and it seems to be hindering his movement a little bit," Antpaw added as she sat back and watched her mentor.

Dawnpaw stared at them, eyes wide. "Are you saying that you're just easing his pain until death comes?"

Dapplepelt and Antpaw both looked away, both refusing to meet her gaze. Dawnpaw shook her head, shock and grief filling her at the thought of losing one of her friends. She turned, tail low and ears flattened when she felt a nose touch her shoulder. Dawnpaw looked over to see Antpaw giving her a reassuring smile.

"It's not that bad, I promise." Antpaw meowed confidently. "He'll be fine, just you wait and see!"

"But what about the Gathering?"

"Cloudeye will sleep."

"He won't die?"

"He won't, not tonight at least," Antpaw responded. She gave Dawnpaw a hearty nudge in the direction of the warriors' den. "Now why don't you go and find out from your mentor if you get to go to the gathering tonight!"

Dawnpaw gave her friend a worried look before letting out a sigh and steeling herself. Straightening up, she made her way over to the warriors' den and paused just outside the entrance, painfully aware that she wasn't allowed inside. She took a deep breath before letting it out before calling for her mentor.

Silence.

"Flameclaw!" Dawnpaw called louder.

It wasn't long before Dawnpaw could see movement in the shadowy depths of the den. Soon, Flameclaw's ginger pelt appeared at the entrance, the tom's jaws wide open in a yawn, his eyes bleary with sleep. "What is it?"

Dawnpaw took a few steps back so her mentor could slide into the clearing. "I was wondering if I was chosen for the Gathering tonight."

Flameclaw sat down and licked a paw before drawing it over an ear. "The Gathering?" he repeated drowsily before his ears pricked and he paused in his grooming. He turned his full attention to Dawnpaw, his expression slightly amused. "You do realize we don't find that out until almost the time it is to go."

Dawnpaw tilted her head slightly. "We don't find out sooner?"

Flameclaw let out a hum. "Nope," he eventually answered, turning back to his grooming.

"But Antpaw knows already!"

"Antpaw is a medicine cat apprentice," Flameclaw retorted. "Medicine cats are always chosen to go to the gatherings."

"You seriously can't tell me?" Dawnpaw asked with wide eyes.

Flameclaw shot her a grin. "I don't know about that," he drawled. "I'm not sure you're ready…"

"Flameclaw!"

Flameclaw let out a small laugh and got to his paws. He approached Dawnpaw and touched his nose reassuringly to her ear. "I'm only teasing," he meowed, taking a step back. "Froststar told me before I took a nap that we were chosen for the Gathering party tonight."

Dawnpaw bounced around, letting out a squeal of excitement before turning to face her mentor again. She bounded over and gave him a hard nudge. "You're such a tease!"

Flameclaw shot her a grin. "If I wasn't teasing you, then how could you handle the wild?"

Dawnpaw let out a snort of amusement. "Shadepelt could help with that!"

Flameclaw shot her an amused look. "Shadepelt, eh? He's a bit crabby at times and rude other times."

"But he's nice," Dawnpaw shot back. "I trust him."

"Everyone does," Flameclaw soothed calmly. "But ever since his father died, he hasn't really been his old self. He was close to Lynxfur."

"Lynxfur?" Dawnpaw repeated, the name unfamiliar to her ears. "Who is Lynxfur?"

Flameclaw glanced around before padding a few steps towards the camp entrance and looking around. He glanced at Dawnpaw and beckoned her to follow him. "I'll tell you in the forest," he meowed. "Lynxfur was a very noble cat but his name wasn't always Lynxfur and he wasn't always respected among the Clan."

Dawnpaw pricked her ears curiously and followed her mentor out into the forest.

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 **I'll be summarizing Lynxfur's story vaguely in the next chapter so I don't reveal any spoilers for _A Hard Path_. If you want to read Lynxfur's story, I recommend checking out _A Hard Path_.**

 **Thanks!**


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